The Ride Of Their Lives
by xSweetiePiex
Summary: Sandy and Kirsten don't think there family is complete with just Seth, so they decide to look into adoption. When 7 year old Ryan joins their family, the Cohens plus 1 will be in for the ride of their lives....Ch. 5 now up!
1. The Newest Addition

**Hey everyone. This is my newest OC fanfic. **

**Summary: Sandy and Kirsten don't think there family is complete with just Seth, so they decide to look into adoption. When 7 year old Ryan joins there family,the Cohens plus Ryan will be in for the ride of their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the O.C. nor do I make any money off of this! Don't sue. Please. With a cherry on top.**

**Rated: K... for now at least.**

**Hope you enjoy! Please review!**

Sandy and Kirsten had been thinking about this for a long time now. And they really wanted another child. Sandy and Kirsten had been happy to have Seth, who was now almost 8 years old, but they wanted another child. For one reason or another, it never seemed to work out. They had been trying hard for a few years now. They even saw a fertility doctor, who suggested they look to adopt. Neither had thought about adopting before, even though Sandy's mother was a social worker.

It was a bright, sunny day in Newport Beach when they met with their own social worker, a bright-eyed young woman, no older than 24, maybe 25 at the most, Sara Parker. Ms. Parker had in front of her a stack of manila folders that challenged the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

"Hello. You must be Sandy and Kristin Cohen." She greeted the couple. She looked so exhausted, that Kirsten didn't even bother to tell her she pronounced her name wrong.

"Nice to finally meet you." Sandy greeted in return. And that was no lie. Sandy and Ms. Parker had been talking over the phone for a few days now, getting everything in order. Finally, the day to look over potential foster children was here. Kirsten and Sandy had completed their training and had the in-home inspections. They were all set to go.

"Okay. So, you've indicated that you were interested in fostering a child, around the age of…" Ms. Parker paused, glancing at her computer monitor, "seven to nine years?"

Sandy and Kirsten nodded. "Yes, that's right." Kirsten answered. "That's the age of our son, Seth."

Ms. Parker nodded. She popped a piece of pinkgum in her mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, she opened a file. "Did you have a specific gender in mind?"

"Well, we were thinking a son…" Sandy met Kirsten's gaze, who nodded approval. "But we really don't have _that_ strong a preference."

Ms. Parker put the file down she was holding and thumbed through a few more, pausing only to blow a bubble with her gum. She finally stopped, and handed asmall colorphoto to Sandy.

"Name's Ryan Atwood. He's 7 ½ years old." Ms. Parker explained. Sandy and Kirsten looked at the picture. They were not prepared for what they saw. A boy, too small looking to be 7, donning a black eye and a cut running the length of his cheek. The scared expression, not quite covered by a pseudo "I couldn't care less" look.

Somehow, Sandy and Kirsten saw through it. They saw something special in him. At that moment, they had already made up their minds.

Ms. Parker continued, oblivious to the fact the Cohens had already decided, "I've met with the boy. He was put into foster care after his dad was arrested for armed robbery. His mom's a junkie, and her boyfriend put Ryan in the E.R."

"So, where is he now?" Kirsten asked. The heartbreaking story made her even more determined to help this kid.

"In a group home." Ms. Parker answered. Sandy noticed the strain in her voice. Group homes were not all that safe. They were not exactly the best place for a kid like Ryan, or any kid for that matter.

"Well, I think…. We think…. We're interested in fostering him." A smile broke out across Sandy's face.

"Really? That's great!" For the first time, Ms. Parker seemed genuinely happy. And who wouldn't be? Finding foster homes for older kids was always a challenge, especially kids with an abusive past home lives. "We can get him out of the group home tonight and bring him over. You've had special training to handle 'special needs' kids, right?"

"Well… yes… but special needs?" Kirsten looked confused. "What does that mean?"

"Oh, 'special needs' as in… he was abused." Ms. Parker took in a deep breath. Hopefully, this couple wouldn't back out. "But, he's a good kid. It's really just precautionary. Sometimes, issues can arise. And we need to make sure you are prepared to handle them."

"Oh, yes, of course." Sandy and Kirsten had heard from Ms. Parker that Ryan was abused. That wasn't news. They were just unaware of the fact that that was considered "special needs."

"Okay… well, we'll just fill out some forms and we'll be all set!"

After filling out what seemed like a million forms, Sandy and Kirsten were finally Ryan's certified legal guardians. Sandy leaned over to his wife and planted a kiss on her cheek. She leaned into him and wrapped her arms around him. She smiled a smile Sandy thought he'd never see again. They were finally happily back on track. Now, all they had to do was talk to Seth.

Back at the Cohen's house, Seth was busy watching _Power Rangers _on television. Rosa, the Cohens' maid, was sitting next to him, singing the theme song with him. Rosa already knew the exciting news. Now, it was time to tell Seth.

"Hey, Seth!" Sandy greeted his son.

"Hey Daddy!" The high-pitched voice of Seth squeaked with excitement. "You should have seen this episode! It was great! First Michelangelo went into the lair, and then Raphael, and then…"

"Really? Awesome. But hey, can you tell me about that later, sport? We need to talk."

Seth's incessant rambling stopped for a moment. He looked inquisitively up at his father. "You know how you've always wanted to be a big brother?"

"Mommy's having a baby?" Seth interrupted, his voice climbing with excitement.

"No, sweetheart." Kirsten answered. She took Seth's face in her hands. "We're going to adopt."

"Adopt? That's where you take in another kid from another family, right?"

"Exactly. We're going to adopt a boy. He's 7 ½ years old. His name is Ryan." Sandy explained.

"Really? A little brother? Yay!" Seth was practically jumping up and down.

"Yes, but Seth. You have to remember that Ryan needs some time to adjust… a new house, a new family." Kirsten tried to be gentle. She knew how overwhelming Seth could come off as sometimes.

"Cool, mom. I know! When's he coming? When's he coming? When's he coming?"

"Later tonight, Seth." Sandy answered. He looked happily at his wife. This was good. They thought that Seth may not be excited that another child would be in the house. They thought he might get jealous. They were relieved that they had been wrong.

A few hours later, the guest bedroom had been made up, the house was scrubbed spotless, and a kid-enticing dinner of macaroni and cheese had been prepared. Sandy, Kirsten, Seth, and Rosa were all waiting quite impatiently for the arrival of Ms. Parker with Ryan.

Finally, the familiar sound of the doorbell echoed through the Cohen household. Sandy and Kirsten jumped up and raced to the door. Opening the door and taking a deep breath, Sandy and Kirsten looked at each other one last time. Ms. Parker stood tall on the porch and they could barely see the pint-sized 7-year-old hiding behind her. Ms. Parker gently nudged Ryan out from his safe haven behind her ripped jeans.

"Hello. Mr. Cohen, Mrs. Cohen." Ms. Parker began, after being ushered into the house. "This is Ryan, of course." She turned to the boy. "These are your new foster parents, sweetie."

"Thank you so much for coming over tonight." Kirsten replied.

Sandy bent down to be at eye level with Ryan. "Hey, kiddo. I'm Sandy." He extended his hand to the boy, but seeing the sharp, sudden movement, Ryantook a step backward, awayfrom Sandy, knocking down a potted plant in the process.

The noise got the attention of Rosa and Seth, who came running over. Ryan's cheeks flushed a dark crimson, and he apologized profusely. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I didn't see it. I'll clean it up. See? I can clean it up myself." He bent down and began scooping the jagged pieces of pot in his hands.

"Hey… don't worry about it. It's just a plant. You're going to cut your hands." Sandy bent down again and took the pieces of clay out of Ryan's hand. He flinched at the unannounced touch and Sandy could see the fear in his eyes. "It's okay, Ryan. Let's get you all cleaned up. Then I hope you like Mac and Cheese. Because that's what we have planned for dinner."

Ryan reluctantly got up, and Seth introduced himself. "I'm Seth!" He proudly announced.

"Ryan." He answered, indicating himself.

"Hey, let's grab a seat for dinner. I'm starved. We were all waiting for you!" They made their way to the kitchen, Ryan shooting glances at both Sandy and Kirsten, but especially Sandy.

"Well-handled you guys. It's so sad with kids that afraid. I'm sure you will be great foster parents to him. I'll be checking up on you later this week, okay?"

Ms. Parker left the Cohens, confident she had left Ryan in the best hands possible.

Inside, Sandy and Kirsten were not as confident, wondering just what they had gotten themselves into.

**Please Review! Thanks!**


	2. Whatever It Takes

**Here's the second chapter! Hope you like it. Sorry, I was a tad bit fast in the first chapter, just trying to get a base established, I guess. I will go slower from now on. Please keep up the great reviews! Thanks! **

**And, I don't own anything... And I'm broke, so don't sue.**

Sighing, Kirsten and Sandy looked at each other again. What were they thinking? They had wanted another child, but maybe taking in Ryan was going to be too much. Regardless, neither one was a quitter. Sandy brushed Kirsten's shoulder length blonde hair out of her eyes as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into an impromptu hug. The gentle reassurance was much appreciated, and the two may have gotten a little cozier if it wasn't for the all too familiar sound that interrupted them.

"Ewwww!" Seth squealed. Apparently, his parents had taken too long by Seth's standardsto get into the kitchen and Seth decided to check it out. His curly brown hair was sticking out all crazy and his button nose was all scrunched up. Sandy and Kirsten noticed that Ryan had followed Seth out of the kitchen and had paused a few steps behind him. His head was lowered, but Sandy could tell he was watching them through his shaggy blonde bangs. His clear blue eyes darted between Seth and his parents. He stepped cautiously closer to Seth, making sure to maintain a reasonable distance away from his foster parents. He looked like a stray puppy caught in the rain. Sandy tried hard to resist the urge to scoop him up in his arms and never let him go. He knew that if he tried that, he would just frighten the already badly shaken up Ryan.

Sandy and Kirsten smiled at the pair. "Come on, guys. Let's eat. I'm starved." Kirsten announced as Sandy's hand clung to hers and they found themselves holding hands, walking into the kitchen, something they hadn't done in far too long. Seth followed his parents, and Ryan trailed behind. This was the biggest house he had ever seen. It was way bigger than his house. He started thinking about his house. His parents. Well, his mom, at least. His dad was in prison. Thinking about this made Ryan start to tear up. But, he couldn't cry. Atwoods didn't cry. He bit his lower lip, and took a deep breath, putting on a tough face. He wasn't going to cry the first night here. Noticing that the three Cohens were already in the kitchen, Ryan hurried up and almost ran to catch up.

"There you are!" Sandy greeted the boy. "We have a special spot, just for you."

Ryan blushed a little and sat in the chair Sandy designated. It was right next to Seth, across from Sandy. He sat down and looked into the bowl in front of him. It was filled to the brim with macaroni shells covered in thick, creamy, orange colored cheese. It looked so different than the macaroni and cheese he had had before. Before, it was lumpy and half cold. Ryan waited a second, and only after seeing Seth excitedly digging into his own bowl, did Ryan cautiously pick up his spoon and scoop up a single shell. He slowly put it to his lips and shoveled it into his mouth. He chewed it thoughtfully, and couldn't remember the last time he had had food that good… or food at all. It had definitely been at least a day. His last foster parents didn't really care too much about how well he ate, or even if he ate. Ryan tried so hard not to spill or break anything, that he didn't even hear when Sandy tried to make conversation.

"So, do you like it, guys?" Sandy asked the two.

"Yeah, dad. I love my mac and cheese! It's the best food in the whole wide world." Seth started.

"How about you?" Sandy looked at Ryan. When he didn't answer, he pressed on, his voice slightly firmer. "Ryan?" Ryan's head bolted up. "You like the dinner?"

"Yeah, sorry. Thanks." Ryan maintained eye contact long enough to have another bite from the big bowl. Soon, though, Ryan was finished eating. His stomach was still a little shaky from everything, so he didn't really feel like eating much. Kirsten noticed him stirring the spoon rhythmically in the macaroni.

"Would you like anything else to eat, Ryan? You hardly touched your dinner." Kirsten asked, concern in her voice.

"No, thank you." Ryan answered, trying hard to be polite. He knew that the longer you were polite, the longer you stayed out of trouble. Usually, anyway.

Soon, the rest of the family was done with dinner and Rosa cleared the table.

"Ryan, how about you and me get you settled in your new room?" Sandy asked, enthusiastically, as he got up from the table.

Ryan nodded silently as he followed the man up a flight of stairs. This house was even bigger than Ryan thought in the first place. Soon, the two reached a room at the end of the hallway. The walls were painted a light blue that matched the bed spread. Ryan took an audible breath in.

"So, you like it?" Sandy asked.

Ryan smiled for a split second, before fading into a disinterested look. "This is for me?" He didn't want to get his hopes up for nothing. For all Ryan knew, Sandy could just take him up there to rub how much money he had in his face. He could take Ryan up there to beat him up… or worse. Some of his mother's boyfriends had performed unspeakable horrors to poor little Ryan. With his trust already betrayed, Ryan didn't put it past Sandy to try the same thing. Sure, Sandy was okay for now... but Ryan had no idea what he was like with a few beers in him. Alcohol has the ability to change a person, especially a man, from a kind-hearted father figure, to a mean, violent, vicious human being.

"Of course, kid." Sandy set down Ryan's backpack next to the dresser. "Why don't you check out how comfy your bed is?" Sandy watched as Ryan walked over and gingerly sat down on the bed, careful not to wrinkle the comforter. He just sat there as his foster father explained the different things in his room. Ryan couldn't believe how much stuff was just for him. An armoire, a bed, a television, a dresser, even a toy box. He didn't even have any toys, just a few old tee shirts and a couple pairs of stained jeans.

"Why don't we see what Kirsten and Seth are doing downstairs?" Sandy asked when Ryan hadn't said anything. "Come on." Ryan looked at the door, and then Sandy standing in front of it. He stood up slowly and paused for only a second before he walked past his guardian. He found the stairs and walked towards the others.

Seth popped up in front of him, causing Ryan to step back away from the boy. "Wanna watch something on TV with me?" His voice was high and energetic.

Ryan shrugged. "Sure." Seth took a seat between his parents on the couch. Ryan looked from Sandy to Kirsten, then back again. He started to plop down on the floor, when Kirsten scotched farter away from Seth.

"Here, sweetie. Come sit next to me." Kirsten had made room between herself and her son for Ryan. He thought for a moment, then walked over between them and gingerly lowered himself, trying hard not to make physical contact with either of the two. His small frame seemed to be engulfed by the couch. Kirsten moved closer to Ryan, and his whole body tensed. He didn't peel his eyes away from the screen, but Kirsten knew he was watching her intensely.

She could only imagine what nightmare this kid had lived through.

That was the moment that Kirsten Nichol Cohen decided that whatever it took, they would become a family… the four of them.

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**


	3. School Days

**Sorry it took so long! Here's the next chapter. Enjoy. && please review, if you can! I'd appreciate it!**

The first weekend with Ryan ran smoothly, or as smoothly as possible. Ryan still couldn't keep eye contact with Kirsten, and rarely tried to even make eye contact with Sandy at all. One thing that affected Kirsten especially was Ryan's fierce independence. While Seth didn't mind, even asked for, Kirsten and Sandy to help him get food or tuck him in, Ryan insisted he do everything himself. It was hard for Kirsten to accept Ryan's perceived rejection.

He acted like an adult stuck inside a 7 year old's body. His crystal blue eyes betrayed a mixture of youth and innocence, with fear, knowledge, and despair. It was a painful sight to see on a child so young.

Sunday night dinner came around quickly, and Rosa placed a large bowl of chicken noodle soup in front of each member of the Cohen family systematically.

"Thank you, Rosa." Kirsten accepted her meal cordially. "Boys, let's dig in!"

Sandy and Seth both took huge spoonfuls of the delicious concoction. Rosa had a special recipe for chicken noodle soup that put Campbell's to shame. Kirsten took a delicate bite. She immediately noticed Ryan. He wasn't eating. He was merely stirring his spoon methodically in his bowl.

"Hey, kid, aren't you gonna have some soup?" Sandy must have noticed this too. He was going to give the "don't play with your food" lecture, which he would have done with Seth, but he wasn't sure how exactly to approach the topic with Ryan. He had to be so careful with him; he knew all too well that one false move could push him away and reverse the rapport they had built thus far.

"Sorry," Ryan muttered softly, looking up briefly at Sandy. Noticing his look of concern, Ryan hastily scooped up a spoonful of the broth, but coughed when it was hotter than he expected.

"Hey there, partner. You okay?" Sandy approached him and gently patted him on the back.

"I'm fine." Ryan slithered out of his grasp. "I'm just not hungry." Sandy looked helplessly at Kirsten.

Seth looked about done, so Kirsten announced, "Why don't you two go watch a little television while we clear the table?" Ryan looked up at her with relief. The boys excused themselves from the table.

Sandy looked at his wife with a "why did you just do that" look. Kirsten returned the exact same look with amazing preciseness.

"He's nervous, Sandy." Kirsten's tone made it clear that Sandy was at fault here. "I bet you forgot what tomorrow is." Sandy racked his brain. _What had he forgotten?_ "I cannot believe this. Tomorrow is the boys' first day of school!"

Oh yeah. Sandy _had_ forgotten. "I can't believe I forgot. There's just so much going on at the office."

"It's okay." Kirsten leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips. "Our little baby… **babies**… are going to be 2nd graders."

And that was true. The boys were enrolled in Seaview Preparatory Elementary School, he most prestigious and prominent grade school in Orange County. Seth had been going there since pre-kindergarten, even though he never really had many friends. In fact, he really didn't have **any** friends. He did have a huge crush on one girl, though. Her name was Summer Roberts. Even though he would never, ever, in a million years admit to it. Because girls had cooties, of course. His neighbor Marissa Cooper also went to Seaview Prep with him.

Getting Ryan into Seaview wasn't that hard. Kirsten took him in for an interview and quick entrance exam. Although she thought this was too over the top for an elementary school, she had no choice but to acquiesce. It was Ryan's future on the line, after all. And nothing else mattered. Ryan passed with flying colors. He was even placed in the advanced Reading and Math groups. He was a very bright kid. Kirsten had only known him for a short while, and even she could tell you that.

"You think he'll be okay?" Sandy asked, concerned all of a sudden.

"I sure hope so. But, Seth will be there. He won't be alone…" Kirsten let her voice trail. She had thought about Ryan's adaptation to school. She had just always hoped that everything would work out for the best. Now, all of a sudden, she wasn't so sure.

Sandy noticed her sudden worry, so he pulled her into a tight hug. She let herself collapse into his strong arms. "I love you." He whispered into her ear. "Everything will be okay." Sandy wished he believed that.

The next morning came faster than anybody wanted it to. Sandy took the job of waking up the boys. First, he made his way to Seth's room, knocking on the door before barging in. "Wake up! First day of school today."

"Oh, dad. I don't wanna go to school today." Seth's voice was strained as he rubbed his eyes.

"Seth Ezekial," Sandy started firmly, but not unkindly. "Come on, breakfast's almost ready."

Then it was on to Ryan's room. He knocked on the door, announcing, "Wake up sleepy head…" But stopped as he was greeted by an already dressed Ryan, putting the finishing touches on his already made bed. "Well then, young man. You're already up and ready." Ryan looked up at him, waiting to see what he was going to say. "You ready for your first day of school?"

Ryan's head dropped. He nodded self-consciously.

"Don't worry, kid. Everyone's really nice, and you'll do fine. If you need me or Kirsten, you can tell the teacher, and they'll call us. Okay?" Sandy knew that Ryan would never call them from school. Still, he needed the assurance that the possibility was there. Sandy wished Ryan would come to them when something was bothering him. Maybe that was just wishful thinking on Sandy's part.

"Okay." Ryan's voice was stronger now, and he walked towards Sandy.

"Breakfast's ready, kid. You're gonna need a big one so you'll be ready for your big day." Sandy led the boy towards the kitchen. Kirsten placed aheaping plate of blueberry pancakes in front of Ryan when he sat at the kitchen table.

"Thanks." Ryan said politely. He picked up his fork and took a big bite of a pancake. He was very hungry. He hadn't had anything since the spoonful of chicken noodle soup the night before.

Seth came downstairs about ten minutes later, his normally curly brown hair frizzed out way beyond his usual "jew fro." Kirsten set a plate of blueberry pancakes in front of him as well.

"Mom, I don't like blueberry. I wanted chocolate chip." Seth whined. Upon hearing this, Ryan immediately felt guilty. Blueberry was _his_ favorite pancake flavor. He didn't even know why he had told Kirsten that. She had asked him what his favorite food was, and that was what he said. He was trying to be nice. Now, it was his fault that Seth couldn't get his breakfast food of choice.

"Tomorrow, we'll have chocolate chip, okay?" Kirsten's voice left no room for argument. Seth finally conceded.

"Fine." He took a bite of his pancakes. They weren't as bad as he originally thought.

Sandy dropped the boys off at school, wishing each of them a great day. Seth led Ryan to Mr. Bob's 2nd grade classroom. The two took their assigned seats. Ryan sat right in front of Seth, who sat right in front of Marissa. Their desks were arranged in alphabetical order. Luke Ward sat all the way in the back. Summer sat somewhere in the middle. Seth always wished his last name was Richards or Richmont, so he could sit closer to Summer Roberts.

Everything started out smoothly enough. Mr. Bob did the roll call and they began the day with the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Bob went over classroom rules and procedures. Then, the class had lunch and recess.

On the playground, it was clear the different "cliques" that existed in the 2nd grade. There were the "cool" kids, which consisted of Marissa, Summer, Luke, Holly, and a few other kids. The "smart" kids. The "jocks". Seth didn't really fit any of the molds. Therefore, he was an "outsider." And Ryan was one with him.

The pair sat down on the curb and Seth tried to explain to Ryan his love of comic books. Ryan, exhausted from a restless night, just nodded periodically. Seth didn't even notice his lack of interest. Ryan was almost falling asleep until her heard a noise that caught his attention.

"LOSER!" Luke Ward yelled at Seth as he ran by on his way to the monkey bars.Stopping to tease the curly haired boy, Luke grabbed a handful of dirt and tossed it in their direction. He laughedmanically before turning towalk away.

"Hey!" Ryan ran after Luke. "Do you have a problem?"

Luke was a lot bigger than Ryan. Towering over Ryan he replied. "No, should I? What's a little pip squeak like you gonna do anyway?"

"This!" Ryan yelled as he punched him square in the jaw. Ryan was taken aback for a moment.Ryan's former resolve to avoid trouble seemed to be going out the window. He launched against Luke, using his full body weight to topple the bigger boy over. Luke grunted, upset that someone had hit him back. The two got into a pretty bad fight, until Mr. Bob and the recess assistants pulled them apart. They draggedLuke and Ryaninto the main office.

"I'm calling both of your parents!" Mr. Bob vehemently announced. "Fighting is just unacceptable!"

Mr. Bob must have said more, but Ryan wasn't listening. He froze.They were going to call the Cohens. This was it for him. Surely, now he would be kicked out… or worse. Why was he so stupid? Was hitting Luke worth the punishment thatthe Cohens would dole out? It took allthe energy in Ryan's tiny body not to drop his head and cry.


	4. Not On His Watch

**Hey everyone! Sorry that it took so long to update! Almost a month! I have been completely neglecting all my stories! I don't mean to, but (real) life gets in the way! Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it! This one focuses on Ryan's relationship to the various men in his new life. As always… I don't own The O.C. or it's characters (I just like to play with them :)) I only own Mr. Bob (aren't I creative with my character names?)**

Ryan tried to sit perfectly still, despite the pounding pain coursing through his body. Quickly assessing the damages, he figured that he probably didn't break anything. His right eye was beginning to swell, and he had a cut that ran across his cheek. His right arm hurt a lot and his knuckles were red where they met with Luke's cheekbones. He strained to hear what was going on inside the Principal's office.

Mr. Bob picked up the receiver from the desk and began dialing the Cohen's "in case of emergency" number.

"Newport Group." A rather stressed out sounding Kirsten answered methodically.

"Mrs. Cohen?" Mr. Bob asked.

"How can I help you?" Kirsten was beginning to get annoyed with this unknown caller, who she assumed was a client.

"Hello, I'm Mr. Bob, Ryan Atwood's homeroom teacher." Kirsten drew in an audible gasp. A million thoughts raced through her head. She had hoped for the best, but ultimately expected the worst of her adopted son's first day of school.

"Is everything okay?" Kirsten asked, even though she knew what the answer would be.

"I'm afraid not. Ryan was involved in a fight with another student, Luke Ward." His voice was disparaging and low. When Kirsten didn't say anything, he continued. "I know he is a very bright young man. I've seen his test scores. But, fighting is unacceptable. Someone needs to come down to get him."

"Of course. My husband will be down there shortly."

"Thanks, Mrs. Cohen." Mr. Bob sighed. This was not how he liked to start off the year.

Mr. Bob hung up the phone and made his way into the outer part of the main office where Ryan was sitting. He approached the boy, but was hurt when Ryan pulled back slightly. Mr. Bob looked into Ryan's eyes for a split second before he pulled his away, opting to focus on a spec of dust on the pristine white floor. What Mr. Bob saw threw him for a loop. Sure, he knew that he was adopted. He knew that he had lived in a rough neighborhood. He also knew how smart Ryan was. But, seeing it in his eyes… the pain, the fear, the shattered innocence… it was almost too much.

Mr. Bob's resolve to yell at the boy had melted away. He couldn't let the boy get away unscathed, however. "You want to tell me what happened?" His voice was gentler than Ryan expected.

Ryan watched his teacher through his long, blond bangs, but didn't say anything.

Mr. Bob would consider a child refusing to talk as rebellious under most circumstances. But this time, he decided that Ryan wasn't being defiant, but rather just scared. So, he continued. "I know you're new here and this is your first day, but fighting is unacceptable under any circumstance. If someone or something is bothering you, find a teacher or a playground helper, or come find me and we can take care of it. Okay?"

Ryan nodded, and then forced himself to answer, "Okay."

Meanwhile, Kirsten had called Sandy to fill him in on the Ryan situation. Kirsten had a very important meeting to discuss new developments that she couldn't miss. She was hoping that Sandy would have time to pick up Ryan. Luckily, he had just finished with the last client he had for the day.

Driving from the P.D. office based in Chino to Newport Beach to pick up Ryan was the longest car ride of Sandy's life. Thoughts kept floating in and out of his head. _What provoked Ryan to fight with Luke?_ _What if he's seriously hurt? What if Luke is seriously hurt?_ Ryan was pretty small for his age, but boy, was he tough. Too tough, Sandy thought. Too tough for his own good, at least. Ryan had had a difficult life. He probably knew how to defend himself better than Sandy did.

It seemed to be hours before Sandy pulled his car into the parking lot of Seaview Preparatory Academy. The bright signs indicating the main entrance seemed all of a sudden ominous and foreboding. Sandy said a quick prayer that Ryan hadn't been kicked out on his first day. Sometimes, Seaview Prep seemed to be a bit too intense and serious for a grade school. Not to say that Sandy condoned fighting. Quite the opposite actually, as Sandy was a big advocate for the spoken word over settling things with your fists.

This was a first for Sandy. Going into the Principal's office. Seth was always what you would call a "good" student. He made all A's and B's and never got in trouble. He was dubbed "Teacher's Pet," in addition to his loner status.

"Mr. Cohen?" Mr. Bob greeted as Sandy approached the main desk.

"Yes?" Sandy paused for a second, before quickly recovering. "You must be Mr. Bob." Sandy extended his hand to the man in front of him. His eyes quickly found Ryan, sitting helplessly on the wooden bench. His brand-new clothes were tattered and there was a small hole in his jeans. His feet dangled. Sandy didn't even notice his clothes, though. The first thing that drew his eyes to the boy was his bruised and battered arm and cut face. "Ryan." Sandy spoke softly in a barely audible voice. Ryan flinched upon hearing his name.

Sandy crouched down to eye level and lifted Ryan's chin. He tried to pull away, but Sandy was strong. Ryan finally looked in his direction, revealing his soon to be black eye and cut cheek. Sandy eyes found Ryan's for a second, and Sandy saw in them the same boy from the pictures at the adoption agency. He saw the tough façade and the scared boy underneath. Seeing Sandy almost made Ryan want to cry again. He looked away as Sandy stood up to speak with Mr. Bob.

"I know this is just the first day. But, this can't be a habit." Mr. Bob's voice was scolding, and he sent a reprimanding look down at Ryan. "I've talked it over with the Principal and we decided that both boys were at fault here, so their punishment is lunch detention for the rest of the week. That means they will eat lunch in a classroom and no recess."

Sandy nodded his approval. "That sounds fair. And, believe me when I say, we'll be having a long conversation about this tonight." Sandy tried to catch Ryan's glance on the word "long," but Ryan kept his gaze low.

"Why don't you take him home for the rest of the day." Mr. Bob amended to his previous statement. "Here's his things." The teacher handed Sandy a backpack, slightly heavier than it was that morning.

Sandy nodded, and thanked the man. "Come on, kid." Ryan cautiously stood up and took the backpack Sandy handed him.

"See you tomorrow, buddy." Mr. Bob's voice was amicable and forgiving. He reached to tousle Ryan's hair, but Ryan squirmed out of his reach.

"Bye." He mumbled. He took a deep breath to calm himself, and followed Sandy into the car.

Sandy was trying very hard to keep his temper under control. He didn't want to loose it with Ryan, but he did want to get to the bottom of it. But, first there was something more important that needed to be done.

As soon as they were in the car, Sandy turned to his young charge. Ryan noticed Sandy watching him, and glanced in his direction. "Kid, I need you to tell me what hurts."

The question must have taken Ryan by surprise. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"Well, buddy. Based on your face and your arm, I think we should swing by the hospital. You could have broken something." At the word "hospital," Ryan stopped listening. His previously normal demeanor completely changed, and his eyes grew oddly defiant.

"No." He asserted, looking for the first time deeply into Sandy's eyes.

Noticing the terrified emptiness, Sandy quickly countered, "They're not going to hurt you. It'll be okay. Come on." Sandy knew by this sudden outburst that, indeed, something may be broken or seriously wrong. They drove to the nearest hospital.

The Emergency Room wasn't very crowded when the pair arrived. Knowing they'd be in for quite a wait anyway, Sandy decided to grab a snack after checking in with the nurse.

"Are you hungry?" Sandy asked Ryan.

Ryan looked up at him. He shook his head "no" but his eyes betrayed his confusion.

"What's wrong?"

Ryan looked away. He didn't want to answer. _Why was Sandy putting him through this?_ Ryan was sure that Sandy was playing mind games with him. Ryan had heard when Sandy told Mr. Bob they were going to have a "long talk" later. When would that be? And more importantly, what would that be? Did Sandy enjoy watching him squirm like this? What did he want from him?

"What's wrong, kid?" Sandy asked again. He moved so that Ryan had to look at him.

"I'm sorry." Ryan said meekly. His façade had completely dissolved and now he sounded so broken.

"It's never okay to fight. We solve things with words, not fists. But, we can talk about that later. Now, we have to get you all cleaned up." Sandy tried to be soothing.

Ryan was confused. _Why would he bother to come to the hospital with me before the punishment?_ "Maybe we should come back later…"

Sandy's voice grew a little sterner. "Nonsense. Something could get infected. Don't worry…" His voice softened. "I promise, everything's going to be okay. You don't have to be afraid."

"I'm not afraid!" Ryan said assertively.

"Then why would you want to come back later?"

_Was Sandy really going to make Ryan say it?_ "I mean, come back after my punishment…" Ryan's voice faded away.

Everything clicked all of a sudden. Sandy groaned internally, and he cupped Ryan's good cheek in his hand, forcing Ryan to make and keep eye contact. "Listen to me, kid. This is important." He paused for a few moments, waiting to get Ryan's full and complete attention. "I'm never going to hurt you. No hitting in my house. Remember, we solve things with words, not fists."

Ryan looked like he wanted to say something. "Even grown-ups?" Ryan's voice overflowed with naivety and youth, which was rare for him.

Sandy frowned slightly, wrinkling his brow. The pained look in Ryan's eyes broke his heart. "Especially grown-ups." Sandy wrapped his arms around the boy. Ryan didn't fight back. He didn't pull away. He didn't even flinch. Sandy basked in the fact that Ryan was safe in his arms. Nobody was going to hurt him. Ever again. For that moment, nothing else mattered. Not the fight Ryan got into. Not the numerous people seated all around, waiting with their own medical emergencies. Not Sandy's growling stomach. Nothing. No one could hurt his son. Not on his watch.

**So… please review! The next chapter will include the doctor's examination and diagnosis, along with Kirsten and Sandy's punishment for Ryan's fight. That's just a little sneak peak… I don't want to ruin it!**


	5. What Are We Gonna Do?

**Sorry it took so long! Hopefully, everyone's summer is going well! Enjoy. And please review. Even though I'm a bad author who never updates.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The O.C. I am making no money off of this. **

After a few moments, Sandy felt Ryan squirm a bit, and he released his grip on the boy. Sandy fought to keep a check on his emotions. The last thing he wanted to do was scare Ryan, but he was all of a sudden overcome with anger at everyone who had ever hurt _his_ son… which was exactly how he felt towards Ryan.

He noticed that a few tears had slid down Ryan's cheek.

"It's gonna be okay, buddy. Everything's going to be okay." Sandy said soothingly. Ryan rubbed at his eye for a second before looking up at his guardian and nodding slightly.

Sandy reached over and gingerly lifted Ryan onto his lap. Every muscle in the small boy's body was completely tensed, and Ryan let out a small whimper, grabbing at his swollen wrist.

"Where does it hurt, kid?" Sandy asked. Ryan pointed to his wrist. "Okay, okay…" Sandy soothed. "It's going to be okay. The doctor's going to make everything feel better."

At the word _doctor_, Sandy noticed Ryan start shaking, ever so slightly. He held the small boy even tighter and began to whisper reassuring words into his ear.

Soon, Sandy heard his name called and the pair made their way to the front desk.

"This way, sir." A disgruntled looking secretary barked. Sandy felt Ryan grab his hand. She led them to a small white room and instructed Ryan to sit on the examination table. Ryan's crystal blue eyes met his guardian's before complying.

After a few minutes of silence, a tall dark haired man walked into the room. He extended his hand to Sandy. "Hi. My name is Dr. Richards." He headed toward Ryan, who refused to meet his gaze. Taken aback for a second, he quickly recovered with, "What seems to be the problem?"

Ryan looked up for the first time and the doctor noticed his black eye and cut cheek.

"Ryan was involved in a school yard altercation today." Sandy started. Dr. Richards nodded and wrote something on his chart. "Ryan, tell the doctor what hurts."

Ryan nodded slightly, but didn't say anything. He was so scared he practically shook. He had never had much luck with doctors. His parents would beat the crap out of him and doctors never helped him. Then, the last time he was in a hospital was when they took him away from his parents. He didn't want to be taken away from the Cohens. He liked them. They didn't hit him. Or hurt him. Or make him do bad things. He bit his bottom lip, trying to stop himself from crying.

Sandy walked up behind him and put his hand on his shoulder. Ryan relaxed visibly from the support.

"My arm…" Ryan's voice was quiet and uncertain.

"Your arm hurts, buddy?" Dr. Richards walked slowly up to the child. "Where?"

"Everywhere." Ryan sniffled.

"Okay, well, let's get you to x-ray then, okay?" Dr. Richards helped Ryan off of the table. Ryan glanced up at Sandy. "It will just take a few minutes." Ryan knew this, though. He had had plenty of x-rays before. Sandy watched as they left the room.

Within a half hour, Ryan was back safe and sound with Sandy. Now they just had to wait for the results of his x-ray.

Ryan entered the room by himself this time and made his way towards Sandy. As if unsure of Sandy's feelings towards him, he lingered far away from the man. Only when Sandy patted his knee gently and called his name did Ryan, head lowered, walk to him.

"How are you holding up, kid?" Sandy asked.

"Fine." Ryan answered. Sandy knew he was far from fine. He could hear the pain in his voice.

Sandy felt Ryan rest his head on his shoulder. His body slowly lost its uneasiness. Ryan's eyelids grew heavy, and the boy slowly drifted off. Soon after, Dr. Richards entered the examination room.

He smiled knowingly at Sandy, who quickly and gently woke the sleeping boy up.

"It looks like Ryan has an acute fracture of the Scaphoid." Sandy must have looked as confused as he felt, so Dr. Richards quickly amended. "Basically he broke his wrist."

Sandy drew in a long breath. "I see, doctor. What do we do now?"

"We're gonna get Ryan fit with a plaster cast for 6 weeks. He should be good as new after that." Sandy relaxed a bit. "In 2 weeks, you'll need to come in for a follow-up and then in 6 weeks to get the cast removed." Dr. Richards walked over to Ryan. "Hey there, buddy."

Ryan looked up.

"I'm going to get Nurse Sophia to set that arm for you. What color would you like?"

Ryan bit his lip. "Blue?" His voice sounded painfully unsure.

"Great choice!"

About an hour later, Ryan's arm had been set, Sandy had filled out the insurance paperwork, and they were on their way home.

The car ride was unbearably quiet. Ryan didn't dare make a sound or try to make any type of contact with his guardian. He still wasn't too convinced about this "no hitting" policy.

"How's your wrist feeling?" Sandy asked Ryan, taking his eyes off the road only for a second.

"Fine." Ryan lied.

"Really?" Sandy's tone made it clear he didn't believe the boy.

"I guess… it hurts."

"When we get home, we'll get you some Tylenol." Ryan just nodded. _Why was Sandy being so nice to him? He got in a fight. He knew that was against the rules…_

Sandy pulled into the driveway and smiled because Kirsten was already home with Seth. He walked over and opened the passenger side door, helping Ryan out. He ruffled his hair slightly as the pair walked towards the front door.

"We're home!" Sandy announced.

"Finally!" Seth screeched! "We've been waiting dinner for you two. Ryan, pal, how are you feeling? Are you okay? Dude, that was awesome!" Seth stopped only with a death glare from his father.

Kirsten ran out from the kitchen, looking frazzled. "Ryan, sweetie, how are you? She lowered herself to his level and held his shoulders, but he turned away. Seeing him in a cast and with a black eye caused Kirsten physical pain.

"I'm fine." Ryan looked down.

"Well, dinner's ready. Come on, let's dig in." She ushered him to the kitchen.

Everyone sat down. Ryan lowered himself into his chair reluctantly. He wondered if he'd even be able to sit down after this "long talk." He wondered what his punishment would be. Sandy told him they didn't hit… but that didn't mean they would let him stay in his nice new room. What if they made him sleep outside? Or didn't feed him? The thought made Ryan nauseous.

Kirsten must have noticed Ryan's disinclination to the food. "Aren't you hungry?"

Sandy looked up, concerned. "No." Ryan answered. Thinking that sounded too curt, he added. "Ma'am."

"You've had a … big day, sport." Sandy piped up. "Do you want something else?"

_Maybe they'll be easier on me if I don't eat any more of their food._ Ryan thought. "No thanks."

The rest of the dinner followed in this fashion, with Kirsten and Sandy periodically inquiring as to Ryan's eating habits. Finally, Seth excused himself and went to play video games.

Rosa cleared the table and went to finish up some daily chores. Ryan looked up at Sandy and Kirsten, the only two people left at the table and gulped. They moved closer to Ryan, who looked self-consciously down at his bright blue cast.

"About what happened today…" Sandy started. Ryan looked down. "Fighting is wrong. In every situation… there's… there's always a better way to handle things."

"I'm sorry…"

"We know, sweetie." Kirsten extended her hand, placing it on Ryan's knee. He looked up. "But what we don't know is what happened exactly between you and Luke?"

Ryan didn't know what to think. He knew that the Cohens would be mad if he told them what happened. But he couldn't lie to them. That would just make them madder. He just wanted the seemingly inevitable beating to be over with.

"Please… if you're going to hit me, just do it." Ryan's voice was almost braced for pain.

Sandy drew in a deep breath. "Ryan, we talked about this. Nobody's going to hit you… don't you remember in the hospital? I told you that hitting is never okay."

"People always say that in the hospital… that's when parents say those things…" Ryan's tone was matter-of-fact.

"Well, I **meant** it, kid." Sandy replied. "Now, you want to tell us what really happened with Luke?"

Ryan didn't want to tell his guardians. He dropped his head.

"Ryan, we need to know what happened." Kirsten added.

There was no answer from Ryan.

"Ryan" She said a little louder.

"He was… making fun of Seth. Calling him names. Throwing _dirt_ at him." Ryan heard Sandy sigh. "I asked him what was the problem and he told me that there was nothing I could do anyway… that I was just a _pipsqueak._" He took a deep breath. "I shouldn't have hit him, but I did. I'm sorry. Please, let me stay here. I know I don't deserve it. But I'll be good. Really. No more trouble. I'll do whatever you want me too… "

"Hey, hey… it's okay. Slow down there, kid." Sandy tried to soothe him. He knew that Seth didn't have a lot of friends, but he had no idea it was _this _bad. "He was picking on Seth?"

Ryan nodded.

"Ryan, why don't you go up to your room. Kirsten and I will be up there shortly, okay?" Ryan nodded, scampering up the stairs.

"Oh, Honey." Kirsten started. "What are we gonna do?"

**Please review…. TBC**


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